<strong>Background:</strong> Recently, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been affected by the extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has developed important global health a...<strong>Background:</strong> Recently, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been affected by the extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has developed important global health anxiety. At this time, the treatment options for this disease are only moderately successful. Smoking has been related to COVID-19 and its mortality, and it has the potential to affect bacteriological and viral conversion, clinical effects, and treatment outcomes. <strong>Methods:</strong> The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between critical essential trace {zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu)} and toxic {cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni)} elements in human biological samples such as scalp hair, serum, saliva, blood, nasal fluid, and sputum of smoking and nonsmoking male COVID-19 patients (n = 139, age range 25 - 38 years) from Hyderabad, Pakistan. For comparative purposes, the biological specimens of referent persons (n = 83), pulmonary Tuberculosis (T.B) patients (n = 67), Pneumonia (n = 56) of the same age groups were also be analyzed. Microwave oven mediated digestion method was employed, and digestion of samples was carried out with the help of 2:1 mixture solution of HNO<sub>3</sub> (65%) and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (30%). Atomic absorption spectrometry was employed for the determination of elemental concentrations from the microwave oven employed digested samples. <strong>Results:</strong> The found average of essential elements (Zn, Fe, and Cu) in biological specimens of smoker and nonsmoker male COVID-19, T.B, and Pneumonia patients was found to lower, whilst cadmium and nickel were found to be higher when compared with samples from referents (p < 0.001). <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Improved elemental (Cu, Fe, Zn) concentrations may also decrease the risk of bacterial co-infection by enhancing the mucociliary clearance and respiratory epithelial barrier function, in addition to providing direct antibacterial effects against <i>S. pneumoniae</i>. Our findings also suggest that higher展开更多
Type 1 Diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the familiar childhood immune-mediated onsets and can lead to early mortalities and morbidities. It can arise at any stage, but the peak of occurrence is reported less than 18...Type 1 Diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the familiar childhood immune-mediated onsets and can lead to early mortalities and morbidities. It can arise at any stage, but the peak of occurrence is reported less than 18 years of age. T1DM cases in Pakistan were less than 2% of the total diabetic population. The current work designed to assess the concentration of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) in blood, scalp hair and serum samples of T1DM children, age ranged 1 - 14 years of both genders. For comparison purpose, the age-matched referent subjects of both genders were tested. The microwave-assisted acid digestion procedure was used to determine the elemental analysis in the biological samples of T1DM children and referent subjects. The resulted data of certified reference material of blood, scalp hair, and serum validated the certainty of the designed method. The analysis of Zn was performed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, while the Cd contents were determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. T1DM affected children of both genders have lower Zn level in the blood, scalp hair, and serum samples. Whereas, the levels of Cd were found to be higher in the biological samples of T1DM affected children as compared to referent subjects. The finding of the current study is a significant hypothesis for medical experts, to diagnose the deficiency of essential (Zn) and toxicity of heavy/toxic element (Cd) in the biological specimen of T1DM affected children.展开更多
Workers of the Lakhra coal mining Sindh Pakistan were affected by a multi-factorial exposure of heavy metals. The prevalence of lead (Pb) exposures in work-related symptoms among workers of indoor and outdoor mining o...Workers of the Lakhra coal mining Sindh Pakistan were affected by a multi-factorial exposure of heavy metals. The prevalence of lead (Pb) exposures in work-related symptoms among workers of indoor and outdoor mining of Lakhra coal mining was evaluated in detail. The biological samples (scalp hair and blood) of 270 workers of Lakhra coal mining {official and control subjects} (indoor and outdoor) 18 to 55 years age group and 70 referent subjects of same age-groups were examined. The biological samples (blood and scalp hair) of workers of Lakhra coal mining and referent subjects were analyzed for calcium (Ca) and lead (Pb). Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was applied for the determination of the Ca in digested samples of studied subjects by the microwave oven whereas, the Pb contents were measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The validity of the methodology was checked by using the certified human hair material (BCR 397) and lyophilized human blood (Clincheck). The results indicated the higher contents of Pb in biological samples of indoor and outdoor mining workers than referents. However, the levels of Ca were found to be lower in indoor and outdoor mining workers than those of referents. It can be concluded that immediate action should be taken by recommended authorities to improve the ventilation and hygiene practices inside the industries, mines, and other workplaces.展开更多
文摘<strong>Background:</strong> Recently, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been affected by the extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has developed important global health anxiety. At this time, the treatment options for this disease are only moderately successful. Smoking has been related to COVID-19 and its mortality, and it has the potential to affect bacteriological and viral conversion, clinical effects, and treatment outcomes. <strong>Methods:</strong> The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between critical essential trace {zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu)} and toxic {cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni)} elements in human biological samples such as scalp hair, serum, saliva, blood, nasal fluid, and sputum of smoking and nonsmoking male COVID-19 patients (n = 139, age range 25 - 38 years) from Hyderabad, Pakistan. For comparative purposes, the biological specimens of referent persons (n = 83), pulmonary Tuberculosis (T.B) patients (n = 67), Pneumonia (n = 56) of the same age groups were also be analyzed. Microwave oven mediated digestion method was employed, and digestion of samples was carried out with the help of 2:1 mixture solution of HNO<sub>3</sub> (65%) and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (30%). Atomic absorption spectrometry was employed for the determination of elemental concentrations from the microwave oven employed digested samples. <strong>Results:</strong> The found average of essential elements (Zn, Fe, and Cu) in biological specimens of smoker and nonsmoker male COVID-19, T.B, and Pneumonia patients was found to lower, whilst cadmium and nickel were found to be higher when compared with samples from referents (p < 0.001). <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Improved elemental (Cu, Fe, Zn) concentrations may also decrease the risk of bacterial co-infection by enhancing the mucociliary clearance and respiratory epithelial barrier function, in addition to providing direct antibacterial effects against <i>S. pneumoniae</i>. Our findings also suggest that higher
文摘Type 1 Diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the familiar childhood immune-mediated onsets and can lead to early mortalities and morbidities. It can arise at any stage, but the peak of occurrence is reported less than 18 years of age. T1DM cases in Pakistan were less than 2% of the total diabetic population. The current work designed to assess the concentration of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) in blood, scalp hair and serum samples of T1DM children, age ranged 1 - 14 years of both genders. For comparison purpose, the age-matched referent subjects of both genders were tested. The microwave-assisted acid digestion procedure was used to determine the elemental analysis in the biological samples of T1DM children and referent subjects. The resulted data of certified reference material of blood, scalp hair, and serum validated the certainty of the designed method. The analysis of Zn was performed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, while the Cd contents were determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. T1DM affected children of both genders have lower Zn level in the blood, scalp hair, and serum samples. Whereas, the levels of Cd were found to be higher in the biological samples of T1DM affected children as compared to referent subjects. The finding of the current study is a significant hypothesis for medical experts, to diagnose the deficiency of essential (Zn) and toxicity of heavy/toxic element (Cd) in the biological specimen of T1DM affected children.
文摘Workers of the Lakhra coal mining Sindh Pakistan were affected by a multi-factorial exposure of heavy metals. The prevalence of lead (Pb) exposures in work-related symptoms among workers of indoor and outdoor mining of Lakhra coal mining was evaluated in detail. The biological samples (scalp hair and blood) of 270 workers of Lakhra coal mining {official and control subjects} (indoor and outdoor) 18 to 55 years age group and 70 referent subjects of same age-groups were examined. The biological samples (blood and scalp hair) of workers of Lakhra coal mining and referent subjects were analyzed for calcium (Ca) and lead (Pb). Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was applied for the determination of the Ca in digested samples of studied subjects by the microwave oven whereas, the Pb contents were measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The validity of the methodology was checked by using the certified human hair material (BCR 397) and lyophilized human blood (Clincheck). The results indicated the higher contents of Pb in biological samples of indoor and outdoor mining workers than referents. However, the levels of Ca were found to be lower in indoor and outdoor mining workers than those of referents. It can be concluded that immediate action should be taken by recommended authorities to improve the ventilation and hygiene practices inside the industries, mines, and other workplaces.
